Saudi Crown Prince Granted Immunity Because of PM Standing

A lawsuit against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been dismissed by a U.S. federal judge, reports CNN.

Judge John Bates sided with the Biden administration’s recommendation that MBS be granted head of state immunity in the case brought by the fiancé of murdered Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Bates cited his “uneasiness” with the ruling, commenting on the “suspicious timing” of the prince's appointment as prime minister in late September. He noted that the decision to promote MBS was “not motivated by a desire for bin Salman to be the head of government, but instead to shield him from potential liability in this case.”

The U.S. has a longstanding history of granting immunity to “‘heads of state, heads of government and foreign ministers while they are in office," State Dept. deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters. This “‘is also something that we expect others to affront to the United States as well," he said.

Bates said he would have considered not dismissing the case had the administration not made the recommendation.